Walter V. Wendler was appointed to the position of Chancellor of Southern Illinois University Carbondale July 1, 2001. Following the expiration of his contract in July, 2007, he returned to teaching Architecture. Since 2008 he has served Director of the School of Architecture. Immediately prior to his appointment as Chancellor he served as Vice Chancellor for Planning and System Integration of The Texas A&M University System for 2 years. He was the inaugural holder of the William M Peña Professorship of Information Management in the College of Architecture.
Professor Wendler was the Executive Assistant to the President of Texas A&M University beginning in September, 1997. He served as Dean of the College of Architecture, initially appointed in March 1992, and re-appointed in September 1996. Professor Wendler was the head of the Department of Architecture from 1989 to 1992, and Executive Associate Dean in the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University from 1988 to 1989. Before coming to Texas A&M University, he was an assistant professor in the Department of Architecture at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. During his tenure there, he conducted research and service work related to energy use and its affect on building design, and on design pedagogy.
He has delivered and published numerous papers on these subjects. From 1977 through 1981, he was a principal in an architectural firm that executed residential, commercial, and institutional work. He is an excellent teacher who has been recognized by the Association of Former Students of Texas A&M University, with a Distinguished Teaching Award.
He received his Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas; the professional Master of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley; the Bachelor of Environmental Design from Texas A&M University; and the Associate in Applied Science from the State University of New York at Farmingdale. He is a member of a number of honorary societies, a registered architect in Illinois and holds the National Council of Architectural Registration Board’s certificate.
Walter V. Wendler was reared in Northport, New York. He graduated high school there in 1968. He married Mary L. Haney in 1973. They have two grown sons.
As we both have learned all to well, life brings about challenges and opportunities, and it is with conviction and integrity that we are able to move through them with a focus on success.
I have always admired you for all of these attributes and more. Best to you!
Kevin
I have lots of respect for you Walter. You did a great job at Texas A&M.
Chuck
I wanted to thank you for your article in the Bryan-College Station Eagle today on the planned increase of the engineering program at Texas A&M, as well as the one on Higher Education: Ideas and Ideology. I teach U. S. History at Blinn College in Bryan and agree whole heartedly with both of these articles. I share your concern about big being the new measure of “good” at our universities and our community colleges. Thank you for making such a clear and reasoned statement on this matter.
Walter:
Your article in the Bryan/College Station Eagle was brilliant. Everything you stated was absolutely correct. Unfortunately, today the goal of higher education seems to be business rather than education. Bigger is always equated with better. In my life I’ve come to the conclusion that in almost every case smaller is almost always better. Thanks for the article. Best wishes to you.
David
Walter, how are you. Monte talked to me about your article in the Eagle. I agree. A&M CC wants an engineering school for those that can’t afford to leave this area. Touch base. Saw John Fairey yesterday. Just want to know how you are doing.